The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-10-07

L
tic, IL may be noted that the name outside the
play is Shakespeare. with final ''e'' to each
syllable. and. generally, hyphen between the
syllables---a mode Of spelling which, think
am right In saying. was not recognized by
VIII shakspere himself. In the Records of the
stratforti Town Couucil-of which Nj. John
Shakspere, the father Of william, was mem
berthe name was spelt In fourteen different
ways. lO4 times with IN 'x" Indicating tn
the name was pronounce with the ga" in the
first syllable short
| The theory Of the sBaconians, ;" is at the
name Shakespeare was . nom de plume Of Fran
els Bacon, who had good reasons for wishing
that the Plays should not be published under
his name, and that when It was necessary to
put forward some authors name. none filter or
more popular than that Of the rising and popu-
lar theater manager could be adopted for the
purpose; that the name was purposely dissuis-
ed by the different spelling shat the Plays were
sent in, probably anonymously, By the author
| to the manager (Shakspere) OF the Blackfriars
Theater. who adopted them for the stage. intro
ducing, perhaps, some Of the low comedy bust.
| ness into them, and brought them out; that
| shakspere was the producer not tha composer
of the Plays.
The reasons Bacon and his friends, who ere
in the secret Of the. authorship, had for wishing
that during his life. or Immediately after his
death, he should not be recognized as the au-
| thor, were cogent. The stage and drama were
a. the lowest ebb. Players, and playwriters,
and poetasters. were ranked among the class of
''me 'erdo-weels. !" vagabonds, sewers Of sedi-
ton and disorderly persons. Henry VIII. and
Elizabeth had uttered proclsmations against
stage plays as tending to immortality, disorder
in the state aud depravity In religion. Bacon
mother was strict Puritan. and her sons
connection with the stage as playwriter
would have been great Ofense to her.
a concealed poet, Bacon had, no doubt. a
| stronger motive. In those days, when neither
daily papers nor periodicals existed, the stage
was the readiest means of publishing opinions
on any subject, Bacon intended by his plays to
indicate advanced opinions ON many subjects
reforms In law, statecraft, manners, natural
philosophy and religion. The days were
dangerous. Men were liable to be imprisoned,
tortured, slain even, for their opinions and
beliefs. The theory is, therefore, that Bacon
then adopted the method of the ancients (which
he himself expounds and cOmmenils), and.
clothing himself in the humble weed OF the
poor player, he poured out to ears. many of
which hearing heard not, the thoughts and
aspirations of his myriad mind.
But return to the circunstantial evidence
bearing on the SUBJECT. There are no manu-
scripts Of the Plays extant. 1t is said that the
copies Oftheir parts were supplied to the actors
by the manager, Shakspere, In his own hand
writing, and without blot q fact which
is to my mind strongly against his authorship;
for busy and prolific composer does not, il he
can help it. write fair copies for distribution,
and certainly not without alteration or
blot.
But 10 the character and career OF the man
himself an indication that he was the author?
five had no knowledge or record ofhim, it
would be better for his reputed title to the
authorship. As 1t Is, we know just enough Of
what manner of man he was to find great Diff
Guilty In recognizing the possibility Of his
having produced such learned, elegant and
varied masterpieces as those which bear q
colorado imitation of his name.
The history Of his life, SO far as it is known.
Is very shortly rs follows:
Born at Stratford-On- Avon in 1854, the son of
John Shakspere, butcher, wool-stapler or
glover; his mother, Mary Arden. of peasant
family; neither parent Of any reputed ability
or learning Supposed to have been a short
time at the Stratford grammar school; but
there is no authentic evidence of even this
short period of tuition. There is also ira
iition that he became country schoolmaster,
and legal critics, despite Of any tradition, are
sure that he was once employed in a lawyers
Office, but no hint of his having become remark
able in either capacity, and both stories seem
to be rather an inference from the legal and
other large knowledge and learning apparent
in the Plays than based on any real record or
tradition.
He married at eighteen. There are local tradi-
tons that he followed his fathers trade as
butcher, and used to make fine speech before
killing a calf; of his having been in the habit
Of drinking at pot-houses and clubs, hunting
oonys for amusement, and poaching in the
neighborhood until Sir Thomas Lucy, the
resident squire, after more than usually
aggravated case of pOachins by him, prosecuted
him, the result being that he soon after left
StratfOrd, and went In 1857 to London. There
he is reported to have made his living for
time by holding horses at the Globe Theater,
then working his way into situation inside
the theater, and then coming, by degrees. to
be employed as a "super" and walking" or
utility gentleman
Now the commencement of the phenomena.
a few years after his arrival in London APP
peared the poem, Venus and Adonis, dedicated
to the young Earl Of Southampton, q friend of
Bacon, whom Shakespeare could hardly have
known, unless from holding hia horse at the
door Of the theater.
Disregarding its subject, 1t is one OF the most
eloquent pieces Of rhetorical poetry that En-
glish literature has produced to tn is day. Such
q production from young countryman-coun-
try school master. II you please-who could
only have known the Warwickshire dialect,
had had little opportunity for the refined study
Of the English language, and who has been
earning his bread by holding horses, and was
now engaged in q minor capacity inside a
theater, would, think am justified in say
Ing, have been not only phenomon but mir
icle. Some Of the sOnnets, very finished pro-
auctions, also appeared, and some Of the old
est plays are also supposed. by some critics,
to have seen the light about that time.
1t is contended by some that Shakespeare
was either assistant or partner, with an able
bookseller and publisher of the day; that he
frequented cofree-houses; that in the bookshelf
er's shop, during the intervals Of business, he
had access to books which enabled him to
study; and that in the coIee-houses, which
were also frequented by some of the wits aud
men of the world of the day, he acquired his
extraordinary knowledge Of men and things.
If this training for genius were SO eflicaclous
in his case why has it not since been found to
be 500 Why Is not now the culture Of our
young geniuses erected by giving them the use